What Are We
by Wolburge
Summary: Post Drake's Deception and the evolution of Elena and Drake's relationship. No U4 spoilers.
1. Chapter 1

Hey so I got on the uncharted train with the remastered editions for PS4, and while I'm too broke for the fourth one right now I'm hoping my next pay check will help me out with that problem. I really like Nate and Elena and I really like exploring their story after the third game. So, I hope you enjoy it. I don't quite know where this is gonna take me.

He was exhausted, she could tell. Sully had called the second the two of them had made it back from the desert. Meanwhile, Nate had made his way to the airport, found the quietest corner, and had passed out. That at least was Sully's side of the story.

Neither of them however had given her any details of their adventure, except Sully's "That bitch Marlowe and her lap dog are gone for good. They took Drake's ring with them. It's been a hell of a treasure hunt Elena."

Nate and Elena had made themselves comfortable, sitting next to each other in the back of the plane while Sully flew solo in the front. Elena could make out the sand that seemed to be permanently stuck to Nate's facial hair.

"I lied you know." Nate immediately snapped his head to the left to look at her after her statement.

"Whadya mean Elena-"

"This time was the time I really thought you were gone."

He chuckled, pulling a slight smirk with the energy he had left. But then his eyes fluttered shut and a slight groan escaped his lips.

"Hey, you need some rest," She cooed, gently moving his head to her lap. Nate maneuvered his body so he could rest on her, pulling his knees to his chest so his feet didn't awkwardly press against the plane wall. He felt his eyes flutter shut, but he didn't want to go to sleep just yet.

"While on most events I would say that not bringing you to secure your safety ended up endangering both your life and mine...This time I did the right thing. I'm glad you didn't go out there. I'm glad you're not tired like I am right now," He breathed out.

She pushed her fingers through his dark hair, entangling them in his thick waves as he spoke. She felt her heart flutter as he acted so protective, but she couldn't help but be concerned with his tone of voice. Nate was always getting himself into trouble, and that trouble was almost always life or death circumstance...What about this was different?

"What happened to you Nate?" While she tried to hide it, there was a sense of urgency in her voice.

"Well to start, the cargo ship didn't precisely land by the caravan...It didn't precisely land...at all."

"What?" Elena felt her jaw drop slightly. How did he pull that off? And if it hadn't crashed by the caravan..."How long did you wander the desert?" She sucked in her cheeks, biting the bottom of her lip afraid of what his response was going to be.

"About four days." Nate groaned again. Elena placed a kiss on his forehead.

"Get some rest." It was all she could say.

"I almost died Elena." He let the words hang there, waiting to see if any form of a response would escape from her.

"You almost die a lot Nate-"

"Yeah, but that's because I think I know what I'm going after, but I don't really know what I'm going after, and then other people make the entire event a problem...But this time...It was because I was too stubborn, and kept looking into a treasure that both didn't want or deserve to be found...This time I almost died for something stupid..."

"Nate-"

"No...Don't try to make me feel better...I'm done...The treasure hunting...I have to be done this time..." And while he was certain Elena held some sort of response to that, he didn't hear it. He slipped into the exhaustion he had been suppressing for so long.


	2. Chapter 2

Yayayayayayaya Chapter 2! Weeeeeeee! I really liked writing this chapter, mostly because it gave me something to do during my down time at work, hope you guys enjoy

She had left everything the same. The sofa hadn't moved. The pillows remained in the same position he remembered them being in when he left. The kitchen looked like it did after their last meal together, their two dishes still on the drying rack they had been left on eight months ago.

It was jarring to Nate. To see all he had left, and more importantly the devastation that was the lack of his presence. He had left, she had broke, then she had left. But for some reason, the house didn't have the same effect on Elena as it did on Nate. As he stood, slowly walking through the rooms and halls of the structure he once called home, she beelined to the bedroom, dropping all of their luggage off. Nate found himself staring at a coffee mug left in their living room table when her voice snapped him out of his haze.

"Nate." It was gentle, understanding. Why was Elena acting like this? She had taken him back so quickly. How could she forget about the last night he was in this house? "It's okay." He felt her hand touch his shoulder in reassurance. Her thumb began making small circles around his skin.

"How are you okay through all of this? Neither of us have been in this house for months. I'm still...getting used to it."

"Well," Her tone of voice had changed, now a mix of being both gentle and sensual. "It's been a very long time since I've been with you in this house." Her hands began to run up and down his arms as she was speaking.

Drake knew what she was doing. It was very Elena like. Sex now, talk later. Which Drake usually accommodated to, but this time was different. It wasn't a regular small argument, or even one of their on again - off again times. It was a broken marriage trying to make itself whole again.

"Elena I'm not sure-" But Nate didn't get to finish his sentence as her hand brought his head down to meet hers.

Her lips crashed into his. For a millisecond Drake wanted to push her away, to get to the root of their issue, to talk about being husband and wife again. But all of his protests disappeared after that fraction of a second.

He grabbed her at her shoulders, spinning her around and pressing her against the wall. He had forgotten how good her lips tasted and how much he longed for her body on his and his on hers. His tongue flicked out, entangling itself with hers.

He pulled her hands away from the back of his hair, keeping constant pressure against her with his body. He laced his fingers with hers, pushing her hands over her head, pinning her against the wall.

He broke from their kiss, giving her a devilish grin. He leaned into her ear, gently biting her earlobe while he channeled his deepest voice. "I've missed you too," He quietly growled into her ear.

Elena couldn't handle the buildup, smashing her lips into his and wrapping her legs around his waist. His arms wrapped around her back, supporting her above him.

She broke their kiss for a moment to urgently gasp out instructions. "Bedroom. Now."

Nate didn't even realize where he was going entirely, letting muscle memory take over his legs. He was far too concerned with the blonde he was carrying. His arms supporting her back, his hands tangled in her hair as he made his way down the hallway.

He nearly smashed the door open as he entered. He leaned over the bed, dropping her gently on top of it. He began crawling towards her on his hands and knees, brushing the side of her body until he was positioned above her. Lust filled her brown eyes as she looked up at him. Drake was pleased with himself. The corners of his lips began to pull into a smile, but he noticed something out of the corner of his eye that drew away his attention.

 _A kiss on the forehead, that's all I can leave her. I don't even deserve to leave her that. What a rotten mess she'll think of me when she wakes up. I'm sorry Elena. But I have to._

Drake's eyes were no longer transfixed on Elena, but focused on the nightstand on the side of the bed. "You..." Drake felt his throat go dry as he tried to swallow. This is what it must feel like to swallow ones pride he thought. "You left everything the same." His voice was quiet, almost a whisper as the words tumbled from his lips.

Elena realized what he was so fixed on and the two became lost, staring at the object on the table. Shocked and experiencing a wave of emotions, they lay there quietly until Drake broke the silence.

"We-I..." He began to stumble off of the bed. "I can't do this. Not here. Not now. I'm sorry Elena." Nate felt as if the weight of all the treasure he had found was on his shoulders as he began slowly walking out of the room.

"Nate," Elena began, tears starting to form in her eyes. "I should've-"

"No Elena," Nate's voice was grim. "I shouldn't have."


End file.
